poor quality bag - but Rick Steve's Merchandise took care of the issue

I had the opposite experience. I had purchased a replacement for my first Rick S. wheelie bag. After a couple trips a couple of the seams started to come unsewn. I took photos and explained I had used it 2 or 3 times and would they repair or replace. I immediately got a reply saying to contribute my bag to a local charity and I would be sent a replacement. I was very pleased with the service I received and my replacement bag has been to Europe 2 or 3 times since with no problems.

Hello, I can't speak to what our return or replacement policy is as I'm just the web guy and forum moderator, but have you tried contacting our customer service department to explain your experience and provide photos of the bag malfunction? If it could be shown to be due to e.g. a fault in how the zipper was sewn into place, perhaps there is something we (RSE) can do about it.

Yes, see the above.
Also I will say that I have had a RS original bag for perhaps 20 years. Still going.

Have used at least eight RS bags over the last 25 years and have never had a problem. No matter how good a piece of luggage is, any product can have a defect. Rather than malign an entire brand, you might want to contact the RS customer service people, relate the problem, and seek their assistance. In the past 25 years there have been a few post by people with similar problems that were all resolved to the customer's satisfaction. Give it a try and let us know the outcome.

treemoss, I still have my original green Rick Steves backpack that I bought in the mid-90's, and it's in great shape! Granted, I haven't used it in the past decade but it got plenty of use for about 25 years. And I agree about contacting customer service before you vilify the product.

I’m so sorry that your bag had this issue. I am still using my original RS carry on from 2007 and now save it for special trips since it’s too large for international carry on. I had good luck with my RS international carry-on on our 28 day trip last spring. Years ago the telescoping handle on one RS malfunctioned and they replaced it, so please reach out to them.

I bought my first RS carryon bag in 2007 and it finally died a couple years ago. I replaced it with the newer version and love this one just as much as the old one. I can take it on Icelandair, which has a bit smaller carryon size than most airlines, but it is the one we fly most often so it is perfect for me.

I agree with the others, reach out to the company before blasting them.

I've had numerous wheeled RS bags and all but one has had a problem. The RS folks always offered me either a replacement or a refund.

I've never had a problem with any of their non-wheeled bags. And I still have the original "Europe Through the Back Door" Back Door Bag circa 1988. (That's what the tag says. I bought it in 1992.) It has no resemblance to what is sold today. I only used it a couple of times. I'm now waiting for the Smithsonian to call asking me to donate it to their collection of American memorabilia.

I've never heard of anyone with an issue with the RS bags that didn't get excellent service and replacement. Are you assuming you can't get a replacement or did you contact the office?

My first Civita Day Pack developed a small tear after a few trips. I contacted the Merchandise Group, took a picture of the tear, sent it to them and they sent me a new one. They asked that I donate to charity, which I did.

I gotta wonder if there is a more to the poster's story. Did he contact the group to to what could be done?

I would contact Rick Steve’s about your bag by phone.

Which suitcase are you referring to? As others have asked, did you contact RS Merchandise? My experience with RS Merchandise has been very good. I really like their products and recommend them.

When my 6y/o but lightly used (3 tours + other travel) Rolling Carry-on’s telescoping handle quit retracting last year, I contacted RS to ask for repair parts. I did not expect them to replace the suitcase but they did. All they needed were pictures of the problem.

Not sure which bag you are referring to but we have had two of the Ravenna carryon wheel bags for at least seven years and have used them extensively. Mine just had some stitching break and start to pull apart. I contacted the RS Travel store by email and attached pictures. They were wonderful and I got a new bag within a few days. The other bag is still holding up great even though the stitched id pocket got ripped off at some point by checking it. If the bag damage was caused by the airline, did you fill out a damage report with the airline?

To be fair - how did the bag rip? I had a Delsey bag that was checked. It was retrieved from luggage carousel in baggage claim with a rip and minor damage. The bag was still usable. I do not blame the Delsey company, nor the airline for the damage. I see damage to luggage as an ordinary factor for traveling. Checked luggage can travel long distances around airports on complex conveyor belts. Lots can happen.
I know having a damaged bag is not a good experience. I look at life and traveling in the grand scheme of things. First - I am privileged to travel. Second - life rolls on. Third - if no one is hurt, then all is well. I can deal with damaged luggage.
If your bag failed from poor, faulty manufacturing - then, I would give the service department another try. If it was damaged from being checked and transferred, then I would just shrug it off. Is the bag still usable?

We have 2 RS bags that we've had since 2009. One of them is showing a bit of wear; the other is like new.

From all I've heard, RSE will bend over backwards to make things right. Call them (again,) and discuss the problem.

Edit to add: Or to correct, rather. We've had 3 of our RS bags since 2009; one is showing a bit of wear; the other two are like new.

I bought two of the Rick Steves Rolling Carry-on bags almost exactly one year ago (got them during last year's holiday sale). I'm local, so I made a stop in Edmonds on a Saturday last December to check them out, bought two of them on the spot, and brought them home. In most respects they're great - perfectly sized, thoughtfully-designed, light-enough, with a good balance of features/utility/simplicity. Just a few weeks after buying them, we took them on a trip to Colombia (they were never checked or really never out of our sight or our hotel rooms, nobody else handled them, and being an obsessive gear freak, I handled mine with great care). The bags worked well on that trip and we liked them a lot. But... (you knew there was a "but" coming)...

Shortly after coming home from that first trip, I noticed some stitching was coming loose on the upper portion of my bag. It basically was "running" (pulling loose from one end with nothing to stop it). It wasn't completely falling apart, but a couple inches of stitching had already pulled out, and if that continued, eventually something's going to give (I assume it's stitched there for a reason). At that point the bag was just a few weeks old, and had been used very lightly on just one short trip.

I've never heard of anyone with an issue with the RS bags that didn't get excellent service and replacement.

That's what I figured, too: there's the replacement guarantee, and I'm conveniently in/around Edmonds often enough, so I put the bag in my car, the next weekend when I was near Edmonds on a Saturday morning, I stopped by RSEHQ, presented the bag, and explained my story. One of the guys at the store looked at my bag, let out a long "hmmmmm" and appeared puzzled. "That doesn't look so bad" he told me. He picked up my bag, asked me to wait a minute while he consulted another employee, and disappeared into a back room. He came out, handed my bag back to me and said, "it's really not very bad, the stitching that's coming off is just decorative, and it'll probably be fine. If it ever comes apart, bring it back and we'll replace it." (where's that "yikes" emoticon when you need it?)

Frankly, I was kind of shocked. I mean, it's not a super-expensive bag, and yes, the stitching coming off wasn't huge, it hadn't opened up a gaping hole in the bag, I hadn't lost any contents (at least not yet) - but it's stitching that (I think) attaches a zipper inside the bag on the small upper pocket. If/when it fails the zipper will just come off and the rest of the bag should be OK (there will just be no way to close that pocket if/when it lets go). So yeah, not exactly the Hindenburg Disaster. But I had been expecting "no questions asked" and a like-new replacement cheerfully presented. Instead, I was sent away to see how it goes. Did not leave a great impression on me.

I'm still using the bag (it's been on trips to Japan and France since then) and while the stitching has continued to pull out a bit more, it hasn't let go completely or split open. But I'm now left second-guessing what I'm stashing in that pocket, aware that there's a chance it could open up and spew its contents at a potentially inconvenient time. That hasn't happened yet, maybe it never will. But it wasn't exactly the customer experience I had come to expect. YMMV.

I do travel with a small roll of Gorilla Tape®, which has come in handy before - highly recommended (but I won't be stashing it in that particular pocket...).

David, that is disappointing. I'm wondering if you followed up with, "It's not strictly decorative, it holds this pocket".

David, I do travel with some duct tape and super glue, sounds like I should get some gorilla tape.

I have to wonder why when people post a negative review as their first comment, they rarely (never, perhaps) come back to answer questions? I think its unfair to the negatively reviewed party (whether its RS or other) to keep the review up. I feel at that point the review doesn't help the traveler and I would vote to remove the post. (Though I know I don't get a vote. . .)

Here is the guarantee language from the Online Shop.

Every Rick Steves travel product comes with our guarantee that it will be free from material and manufacturing defects for the life of the product. If a defect appears, we will replace the product free of charge. This guarantee does not cover damage caused by an airline or other common carrier. Nor does it cover wear and tear to components and materials which may occur over time with use of the product.

From the OP's post it looks like he checked his bag with the airline and the damage occurred during the time the airline had in their possession. So it would up to the OP to resolve the damage with the airline.

I am going to speculate that he did not go to baggage services when he picked up his bag to commence the claim process.

Most airlines want to receive notice and start the claim process with in 24 hours for domestic flights and 7 days for international.

I’m sorry David you had that experience as the problem sounds similar to mine except the stitching coming apart at the bottom of the bag. Not sure why your outcome was different than mine.

I would guess that the OPs damage was not caused by the airline, but we'll never know since the OP hasn't come back. I also don't think the RS or other reputable manufacturers deny any and all luggage handled by an airline, because that's how most luggage is used. I think RS and other manufacturer's could/would deny obvious airline damage. But, again the OP has provided few specifics.

Thanks very much to those on the forum that encouraged me to contact customer service by phone. They were very helpful and will replace the bag. I'm just delighted and really appreciate all your feedback!

Perhaps amend your title to reflect the favorable outcome?

good result, and thanks for the update, and thanks for changing your thread title